Internal-combustion engine.



J. KELLY.

INTERNAL coMBusTroN ENGINE.

A PPLIGATION FILED .TAN.18, 1912. 1994556. Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

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J. KELLY.

INTERNAL coMBUsTloN ENGINE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18, 1912.

Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

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JOI-IN KELLY, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

INTERNAL-COMBUS'IION ENGINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 26, 1912.

Application led January 18, 1912. Serial No. 671,808.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN KELLY, a citizen of the United States, residingat Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented anew and useful Im provenient in Internal- Combustion Engines, of whichthe following is a specifica tion.

My object is to provide a novel and simple construction of valve-deviceand actuating means therefor for controlling, preferably both, theintroduction of the explosive charges into the engine and the exhausttherefrom of the burned gases, which shall be positive in operation, notliable to become impaired, and shall dispense with the use ofvalve-springs, and the commonly employed cam-shaft mechanism and otherdevices necessary in prior constructions as usually provided, and toprovide in connection therewith a simple and positively operatingspark-timing device.

Referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 is a view in verticalsectional elevation of the charging-end of a cylinder of aninternal-combustion engine equipped with my improved valve-mechanism anda timing device; Figs. 2 and 3 are sections taken atthe lines 2 and 3,respectively, on Fig. 1, and viewed in the direct-ions of the arrows,Fig. 3 being partly broken. Fig. 4 is a view in elevation of the rotaryvalve of Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a broken developed view of the stem of thevalve of Fig. 4 showing the preferred form of the grooves therein forcoperation with the piston to actuate the valve; and Fig. 6, a sectiontaken at the line 6 on Fig. 4 and viewed in the direction of the arrow.

In the drawings I have illustrated my improvements in connection with acylinder of a 4-cycle, internal-combustion engine, but it will beunderstood that my invention is not limited to its embodiment in anengine of this type. A cylinder of the engine, the charging end-portiononly of which is illustrated, is represented at 10 and is provided, asis commonly the practice, with a waterjacket 11. The piston of thecylinder is represented at 12 and is shown as connected with theconnecting-rod 13 (a portion only of which is illust-rated), in a mannerto prevent axial turning of the piston in the cylinder, as by journalingthe rod 13 in a recess 14 in an extension 15 on the piston as by a pin16. The piston 12 contains a centrally-disposed bore 17 opening throughits upper end, in which bore the stem 18 of a valve-device 19, isconfined, the stem 18 preferably having journal fit in the bore 17 topermit the piston in its reciprocating movements to move freely withrelation to said stem. The stem 18 contains a longitudinally-extendingpassage 2O which communicates between its ends, through an opening 21,with the interior of the cylinder 10 above the piston 12 therein, andopens at its upper end into a chamber 22 provided in the head 23 of thevalve, a port 23a in the head 23 opening therethrough into the chamber22. The upper end of the stem 18 and the head 23 are journaled inopenings 24 and 25, respectively, in the top 26 of the cylinder, thecylinder-top 26 being provided with a cap-plate 27, secured thereto, asby screws 28 and extending over the valvehead 23. The top 26 of thecylinder 10 contains a passage 29 which opposes the head 23 andcommunicates at one end with the opening 25 in which said head isjournaled, a pipe 30, which, in practice, would lead from a carburetor(not shown), opening into the passage 29 at the other end of the latter.The cylinder-top 26 is provided with an enlargement 31 which contains anelongated arc-shaped recess 32' communicating with the opening 25 andopposing the valve-head 23, this recess, from which a pipe 33, extends,constituting the outlet for the burned-gases from the engine.

The valve 19, in the reciprocating movements of the piston, is adaptedto be rotated thereby by progressive movements, to open the passage 29to the chamber 22 and consequently to the interior of the cylinder abovethe piston therein, through the bore 20 and passage 21 for introducingthe explosive charges into the cylinder for compression and firing, andto close the passage 29 and open the cylinder 10 above the piston to theexhaust passage 32 through the bore 20, passage 21, chamber 22 and port23a, a description of the preferred means for thus operating the valve19 being as follows The stem 18 of the valve 19 is provided about itscircumference with grooves 34, shown as four in number, which extendsubstantially longitudinally of the stem 18 and into which a finger 35,forming a striker, and secured to the top of the piston 12, as by ascrew 36, extends. The grooves 34 in accordance with the illustratedembodiment of my invention, and which are continuous about the stem 18to form an endless channel in which the finger 35 operates, are formedof straight, longitudinallyextending sections 37 and deflected sections38 and 39 at their upper and lower ends, respectively, and towardopposite ends of the stem 18, at which deflected sections adja cent onesof the grooves 34 intersect with each other as represented. The sections38 and 39 of each groove 34 extend peripherally about the stem 18 inopposite directions as illustrated and afford cam-surfaces 40 to 47inclusive with which the finger 35 successively engages in thereciprocations of the piston 12 for actuating the valve 19 ashereinafter described.

In assembling the valve 19 with the piston 12 the former is insertedinto the bore 17, in the latter, the finger 35 entering a groove 68opening into the adjacent one of the grooves 34.

The valve 19 in its movement rotates to the left in the drawings, thefinger 35 in the reciprocatory movements of the piston 12 traveling inthe grooves 34 in the directions indicated by the arrows in Fig. 9, andtraveling in opposite directions in adjacent grooves 34, respectively.

Assuming that the piston 12 is in raised position (Fig. 1) in which casethe finger 35 will extend into one of the grooves 34 at the uppermostend of the latter, and that the valve 19 is in such a position as tocause its port 23a to be in the position illustrated in Figs. 1 and 5 inwhich it is in communication with the exhaust passage 32 and in whichcase the piston has finished its uppermost stroke to scavenge thecylinder 10, and the finger 35 extends into the groove-section 38 ofwhich the cam-surface 40 constitutes a wall, downward movement of thepiston will cause the finger 35 carried thereby to strike thecam-surface 40 and by the continued downward movement of the finger 35against this cam, rotate the valve 19 substantially one-eighth of arevolution before the finger 35 engages with the straight section 37 ofthis groove. Thus turning the valve 19 will cause its port 23@L to bemoved from the position illustrated in Fig. 5,to a position representedby the dotted line A in this figure in which it registers with the inlet29 shortly after the piston 12 has started down on its suction-.stroke,the suction in the cylinder produced by the downward movement of thepiston sucking an explosive-charge from the carbureter through the pipe30 into the cylinder 10 above the piston therein. As the piston 12 nearsthe limit of its suctionstroke, the finger 35 strikes the cam-surface 41and turns the valve 19 to the left in Fig. 5 another one-eighth of arevolution in which the port 23a will extend in the position representedby the dotted line B in Fig. 5, and as the piston 12 starts upward onits compression stroke the linger 35 striking the cam-surface 42 turnsthe valve 19 another one-eighth of a. revolution to cause its port 23ato extend in the position represented by the dotted line C in Fig. 5.

As the piston nears the end of its upward, compression-stroke the finger35 strikes the cam-surface 43 and the valve 19 is again turned anotherone-eighth of a revolution to cause itsport 23aL to extend in theposition represented by the dotted line D in Fig. 5. The charge havingbeen compressed in the cylinder 10 it is ready for firing, which may beaccomplished by passing an electric current through the spark-plugrepresented at 59, secured in an opening 62 in the end of the cylinderand having the sparking terminals 61 and 65. The piston in its initialdownward movement on the firing stroke causes the linger 35 to strikethe cam-surface 44 which moves the valve 19 another one-eighth of arevolution thus bringing its port 23a to a position represented by thedotted line E in Fig. 5, and when the piston nears the limit of itsdownward movement on the firing stroke the finger 35 strikes thecam-surface 45 and turns the valve 19 another one-eighth of areVolut-ion which causes the port 232L to be in the position rep-lresented by the dotted line F in Fig. 5, in which position of the valvethe port 23a is in communication with the exhaust passage 32 and burnedgases under pressure escape from the cylinder 10 through the pipe lVhenthe piston starts upwardly on the scavenging-stroke the finger 35engages with the cam-surface 46 turning the valve 19 another one-eighthof a revolution to carry the port 23a to the position represented by thedotted line G in Fig. 5, and as the vpiston nears the limit of itsupward stroke the finger 35 engaging the cam-surface 47 turns the valve19 to the position illustrated in Fig. 5, thus completing the cycle ofopera-g tion. The next movement of the piston is downward on its suctionstroke and the finger 35 by engaging with the cam-surface 40 causes thevalve 19 to move to a position in which the exhaust 32 is closed to thecyl-I inder and the inlet 29 opened thereto, the operations heretoforedescribed continuing and the valve 19 making a complete rotation eachtime the engine performs a complete cycle of operations.

To provide for the proper positioning of the valve 19 at the ends of thecomplete strokes of the piston to insure the engagement of the finger 35with the cam-surfaces 40 to 47, inclusive, in succession, I widen thegrooves 34 at their ends as illustrated at 69, and thus the finger 35 inits final movements in opposite directions in striking against thecam-surfaces 41, 43, 45'and 47 will so move the valve 19 as to insurethe engagement of the linger 35 with the cam-surfaces 40, 42, 44 and 4Gin succession and alternating with relation to the cam-surfaces 41, 43,45 and 47 The primary feature of my invention residing in the feature ofproducing rotation of the valve by the movement of the piston foreffecting preferably both the introduction of the explosive charges intothe engine and the exhaust therefrom of the burned gases, it will bemanifest that the form of means for operating the valve may be varied asdesired without departing from the spirit of my invention.

IVhile I have illustrated and described my invention as embodied in acylinder of an engine of the 4-cycle type in which embodiment the valvemakes one complete rotation while the piston is making two completereciprocations, I do not wish to be understood as intending to limit itto use under such conditions, or to its operation in the particularmanner described as it may be used with other types ofinternal-combustion engines and its operation may be varied as renderedadvisable, as will be manifest to those skilled in the art.

lVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, apiston in said cylinder forming therewith a combustionchamber, a portedvalve-casing, a rotatable, hollow, valve journaled in said casing andextending through the end of said cylinder and into saidcombustion-chamber and piston, said valve containing ports communicatingwith said combustion-chamber and opening into said valve-casing,respectively, and means actuated by the movements of said piston foractuating said valve.

2. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, apiston in said cylinder forming therewith a combustionchamber, a portedvalve-casing, a rotatable, hollow, valve journaled in said casing andextending through the end of said cylinder and into saidcombustion-chamber and piston, said valve containing ports communicatingwith said combustion-chamber and opening into said valve-casing,respectively, and means on said piston and valve operating when thepiston is reciprocated to actuate said valve.

3. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, apiston in said cylinder forming therewith a combustionchamber, a portedvalve-casing, a rotatable, hollow, valve comprising a chambered headjournaled in said casing and a hollow stem extending through the end ofsaid cylinder and into said combustion-chamber and piston, said stemcommunicating at its interior with the chamber in said head, said headand stem containing ports opening into said casing and into saidcombustion-chamber, respectively, and means actuated by the movements ofsaid piston, for actuating said valve.

4. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination of a cylinder, apiston in said cylinder forming therewith a combustionchamber, a portedvalve-casing, a rotatable, hollow, valve comprising a chambered headjournaled in said casing and a hollow stem extending through the end ofsaid cylinder and into said combustion-chamber and piston, said stemcommunicating at its interior with the chamber in said head, said headand stem containing ports opening into said casing and into saidcombustion-chamber, respectively, and means operatively engaging withsaid stem and actuated by the movements of said piston, for actuatingsaid valve.

5. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination with its cylinderand piston therein, of a rotary valve-device comprising a chambered headand a chambered stem journaled in and extending through the end of thecylinder, the chambers of said head and stem communicating with eachother, said stem extending into said piston, the chamber of saidvalve-head containing a port adapted, when the valve is actuated, to bebrought into registration, successively, with the source of supply ofexplosivecharges and with the exhaust, a port in said valve-stemcommunicating with the interior of said cylinder, and means, timed withthe actuation of said piston, for actuating said valve-device.

6. In an internal-combustion engine, the combination wit-h its cylinderand piston therein, of a rotary valve-device comprising a Chamb-eredhead and a chambered stem journaled in and extending through the end ofthe cylinder, the chambers of said stem and head communicating with eachother, and said stem extending into said piston, the chamber of saidvalve-head containing a port adapted, when the valve is actuated, to bebrought into registration, successively, with the source of supply ofexplosive- 4charges and with the exhaust, and the chamber in saidvalve-stem communicating with the interior of said cylinder, and meansactuated by the movements of said piston for actuating said valve.

JOHN KELLY. In presence of-- A. U. THoRmN, R. A. SCHAEFER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. C.

